SlaughterPopulation: 112Demographic:75% female, Golden Chino descent of working age20% young children, male and female5% elders, 6 female, 5 maleAdditionally12 adult males are currently out at sea, whaling/leviathan expedition.12 adult males are being held captive by the Pels to the westPrimary Industries:Processing leviathan blubber for White FuelProcessing of Orchide Leather productsAgriculture in biodomes

Appearance:The town lies on the coast, fairly well protected from elements by its position within a man-made harbor and high rock walls to its inland side. No boat is moored at the dock. Only a few small fishing canoes rest on the sandy beach nearby.The town is no more than a mile wide and half as deep inland. A simple roadway intersects the town from east to west. A simple ladder system and pulley climb the north wall giving minimal access to the wildlands, the Glass Dunes and the Northlands.One large and three smaller biodomes dominate the landscape within Slaughter. The largest is roughly 100 yards in diameter and 300 feet tall at its center. The only other bit of oversized architecture is the crane system and processing plant at the dock where the large levithan carcasses are brought in from sea.One community dining hall, the leather tanning workshop, a medium sized mechanical workshop, four storage houses and 30 small family huts make up the remaining buildings.The town is generously illuminated by many streetlamps throughout but the lighting is subdued and does not shine out beyond the border of town or toward the ocean. An old radio tower sits atop the cliffs above town.

Government:Officially, there is no government as the citizens are servants of the Banetan Warlords to the east. The Pel Warlords to the west provide protection from the Orcs to the west in exchange for goods and services. The population is torn between pleasing and providing for both groups of oppressors. There is little time for disagreement or civil discord.A group of eleven elders are the spiritual, emotional and traditional leaders of the town and its people.

I hope to set the feel and give you all a sense of what is going on and why your characters are "playing" here for a time.

The man you rescued from the cage in the center of town, the man who warned you to "Run" is named Kuerners, but I assume we will refer to him as Sheriff.He is the first person you will have a chance to really get to talk to in Slaughter so I will relate what he tells you here, to get conversation started. Some key points he tells you,

-naturally, Thank you. He fears however that your interfering may cause harsh reprisal from the Pels, and in return, from the Bans as well.-Slaughter is doomed after the crops are claimed by both parties this winter. The population will not be able to survive.-Sheriff is a member of the Elders.-Sheriff hired the bounty hunters who arrived from the North at the beginning of the season.-he isn't the only member of the Elders that felt action was needed to save the people for another season.-the bounty hunters said they came from a city state, Ekga, in the Northlands, beyond the Glass Dunes and through the Realm of Cornelius.

Norm wrote:Quinn will ask Nippy here "Whom and what do you know of this Cornelius. or of his Realm?And "How far is the city state of Ekga?""

Kuerners, but I assume we will refer to him as Sheriff (or Nippy it seems) replies,"The bounty hunters told the tales. We of Slaughter are doubtful that the stories are true, however, the fact that these men came from the wastelands to our north forces us to rethink what we have always felt to be true. What lies beyond Slaughter are only myths to us. Myself and the other three males of the Elders are the only people to have ever ventured beyond visual range of the town to the east, north and west and this was only when we go out to sea to hunt the leviathan (as our sons and brothers do now). The only land we know other than what we sit on now is the islands of the Orc Archipelago to the west and we never approach too close to that area of the water."

"The Elders view, which is passed down to the young, is remembered by our Honored Matrons (the females). This is our history:-our ancestors came from a land to the east, Tharggy-Tharggy was a fertile land, surrounded by mighty mountains on the west, south and north-thousands of years ago when the End arrived, our Mothers led us south over the Doderan Mountains-much sorrow haunts our people since then (long story-short). Some say we are cursed-(again, long story-short) now for generations we have served here under the Bans, and also the Pels"

The stories that the bounty hunters told might be better retold to you by Amieko. She tended to them most while they were here, after they took the job of protecting us.

The Sherrif escorts you to meet Amieko. Feel free to ask him anything else as we will be in a free-style conversation mode here on the DD just to get some story and conversation moving.Let me backstep a bit: This bit of info was needed to be explained before we started talking with the Sherrif originally.When we ended last session, I said that the town was shunning the Sherrif for bringing trouble to them all by hiring the bounty hunters. As some are shooing him from town after you first release him from his cage, those Elders that support him quickly step to his defense and everyone calms down, at which point the group of you are asked to help. They tell you about the secret stash of goods they have salvaged from ships that they lure into the rocky coast. Our first session ends there and our current conversations began.

Amieko is in charge of maintaining the Community Dining Hall. The Dining Hall itself is rather simple in its design. (Think FireHouse with a few smaller, private rooms attached)She is young and beautiful. The other citizens seem to acknowlege her as a superior although she is not one of the Elders. She is humble around the other citizens and seems almost embarassed by the respect they give her. Anyone making a modest Detection check realize that she gives off a sense of shame about her position and leadership role. She is very polite and formal with the girls.Yes, she does seem to be dressed at bit "fancy" in this small, very rural town that rarely has visitors or a merchant trade that might patronize an Inn or Tavern.When you are introduced to her, she welcomes you inside The Hall. A few other young girls that are working inside are asked to leave so that she may speak in private with the towns "new protectors".

Amieko welcomes you in. She spent the most time here with the previous bounty hunters. She overheard their plans and stories and will give you what information she can. You look around at her and the surroundings. She offers up answers to what you might be thinking about her."I do not do what I do here by choice I will have you know. I am under the thumb of the Bans. I was brought here nine seasons ago when great tragedy befell my family. Misfortune seems to follow me. I am all that remains of my family and friends. I serve here because I wish to help these people. I could escape if I wanted but I really have nowhere to go. What I do here is good for the people."

To your questions,Quinn will ask, "Whom and what do you know of this Cornelius. or of his Realm?" & "How far is the city state of Ekga?"

Cornelius is a powerful Warlord who controls a large region of the Glass Dunes. He claims himself gatekeeper to the Zepplin City of Korm in the center of the Dunes. None pass through in either direction without his blessing and paying proper tithe.

Ekga is a myth and legend but the bounty hunters claim to have come from there. It is said to be a metropolis far to the north where sun and snow abound. They say the sun shines there as it did before The End.

The bounty hunters were bullies. They had with them strange technologies but they were ignorant to how much of it functioned. I think they may have been making up their story. I think they were renegades from Cornelius's gang.

Your "home" in Slaughter ends up being here at Amieko's. You spend a fair amount of your off time speaking with Amieko so as days pass, more info is gained.Quote from November Session thread, "...Most interesting was the recovery of an ornate redwood chest with an inscription on it that matched the name of the downed ship, Kaijitsu Star.As the story is told, Ameiko gasps, "Let me see those amulets." She pulls out a necklace she is wearing. It matches the amulets brought back by Fork and company. Ameiko continues, "The name of the ship, that is my family name, Kaijitsu."

Amieko tells more about her past,"When I was young, I lived with my mother, father and grandfather in a fortified village, Brinewall, at the edge of the Glass Dunes. My family were known for their artistry in glass, both blown and in the creation of (computer) chips. Grandfather was a genius. His creations in chip technology gained our family notariety and we eventually moved to Baneta where we joined the local nobility and became a part of Baneta aristocracy.""Ten years ago, father and grandfather made a voyage to the north. A business venture with another noble family. They never returned. Their business partner, Amonpore, was the only one on the journey who returned. Amonpore took my mother and me in. He told us how the caravan ran into trouble. The ships needed to land for repairs and they were overrun by bandits.""Amonpore was not a good man. My mother died mysteriously soon after and I was traded into this life of slavery. He continues his life of nobility in Baneta.""Amonpore said that my grandfather's caravan of three ships, lead by the Kaijitsu Star, had been destroyed. How is it that they seem to be scattered across the wasteland, according to this rough map you found? They supposedly landed and were destroyed together."

Either Nunus, Fork or River will state that the wreck, although thoroughly picked over, did not appear to have been there for 10 years.